Speaking with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America about her part in Grandma, starring Lily Tomlin, which opens in theaters tomorrow, Laverne Cox drew attention to the alarming spike in transgender murders across the United States. "We in the transgender community right now are reeling," the actress and activist said, adding:

"Yesterday we found out another transgender woman was murdered, Tamara Dominguez, and that makes the total 17 known transgender women have been murdered in 2015 alone."

"It really is a state of emergency. Your life should not be in danger simply for being who you are. We have to say these people's names."

"I think the reasons why trans women experience so much violence... has to do with employment, housing, health care, etc, so we need to make sure that trans lives matter."